Maybe
by Viral
Summary: After Ororo sacrifices her own love for Colossus to make Kitty happy, Kurt struggles to find a way inside her heart while remaining true to himself. He has plenty of time to think as the X-Men fight the battle of their lives.
1. Seflessness

Title: Maybe  
  
Author: Viral  
  
Author's Notes: This story was originally written almost two years ago as a Colossus/Kitty fiction. However, because of the lack of creativity on my part, I will use it to start a Kurt/Ororo fiction.  
  
-=-=-=-  
  
Colossus narrates:  
  
I looked at Ororo, awaiting her answer to the question that haunted me every day and night. I was wearing nothing special. Just the usual things I would be clad while working on my family's farm back in Russia. A wife- beater, as it was called, a pair of blue jeans, and brown working boots.  
  
"Piotr," Ororo began to speak after a moment of complete silence, "I think you should believe and follow your instincts. If you love Kitty then why would you still hold these affections for me?"  
  
"But Storm, we've spent so many years together. I know for a fact that you love me the same way I love you," he said in his thick Russian accent, rolling his r's and changing his facial expression with every syllable. "So, why are you denying me?"  
  
"My dear Piotr, you are in a lovely relationship with Katherine. For myself, it is a shame that I can never find one true love. I believe I have been cursed from the womb. I can love someone for a year and then everything is ruined. But you and Katherine share a lovely bond that I do not wish to break." I watched as she rose from her spot in the chair.  
  
We were in the attic, in her self-made garden that she tended to. The attic was about the most peaceful place in the mansion, and I could always talk to Ororo there. She would always listen and always could reason out a resolution any problems I had. She deserved to be loved.  
  
The only reason I was questioning my love for Kitty, was because I had not had any contact with her. I lost affection for her. But I had been with Ororo throughout the whole mission. We talked and bonded like never before and I fell in love with her. But my fear that her affection for me was not as strong as mine for her began to overwhelm me.  
  
I feared that Ororo was just showing me the compassion that she showed everyone else: the same compassion that she was so greatly known for. It was the type of compassion that allowed her to seal the fury of nature that lived inside her. The kind that dwindled in her body and only wanted to be released fully, but her love did not allow it to hurt anyone, and she kept it suppressed. I believe this was the type of compassion she showed me, and not the type of love that I felt for her. I was losing my thoughts and constant contemplations of Kitty as I begin to fall for Ororo.  
  
"Piotr, what are you supposing?" Ororo suddenly question through the silence that broke my train of thought. She was watering her plants, but without a pail or other source of water. She had control over the weather, so she was able to bring the moisture in the air together to make little clouds that drizzled on the plants. The ceiling to the attic was made of glass so the plants had enough sunlight. The only problem with the glass ceiling and full-length windows was at certain times the attic would be unbearably hot, but that didn't bother her at all; she was immune to the heat and cold.  
  
"I am just thinking about what you told me. Do you think I should go after my Katya?"  
  
"Well, my beloved Piotr, I believe that someone is on the roof to help you figure that out." Part of the attic went up to the roof, where the glass ceiling was arched. There was a glass door that led from the attic and onto the roof as well, and through it, I could see young brunette standing and looking over the edge.  
  
Standing up, I walked to Ororo and gave her a hug, "Thank you Storm... I don't know how I can repay you."  
  
"Believe me Piotr, you already have," she smiled at me with her quiet words, so low that I couldn't even hear them. "But to you, I will I always be Storm, never Ororo."  
  
Walking out of the door I suppose Kitty heard my footsteps, so she turned around. "Oh my gosh! You're back!" she screeched at the top of her lungs. "Nobody told me you were back from the mission!"  
  
She jumped on top of me, planting kisses all over my face. Her brown-tinted hair swished in any and every direction as she expressed her happiness to see me.  
  
I wasn't as cheerful as she was, of course. I had almost left her-cheated on her, when all she had done was stayed faithful to me.  
  
"Russkie... what's wrong?"  
  
I didn't answer; I couldn't answer. I couldn't even stand to look at her if I wasn't going to tell her the truth. When I had finally built up enough courage to tell her everything, I saw something on the horizon that caused a horrified expression to come over my face. "That!" I yelled pointing the tree line. Somebody's body flew out of the forest like a baseball bat hit it.  
  
"Oh my goodness!" she said, almost losing her breath. "That looks like Remy!"  
  
"Are you sure Katya?"  
  
"Yeah I'm sure..." she then paused as we both noticed who was coming out of the bushes, "And Creed!"  
  
"Mother Russia! What are we going to do?" I yelled, looking at the scene as Remy's body was tossed about. "Go inside the attic and get Storm, Colossus will take care of this!"  
  
My body began to change from its normal coating of skin and into a organic steel-like metal. The sun's light reflected off of it and it glistened spectacularly. This was my mutation: the metal protection, which enhanced my height and took my strength to a superhuman level. With the metal on I was practically indestructible, unless someone who had electrical abilities used me as a conductor, or someone had mental powers to attack my mind, or unless I ran into the occasional Magneto.  
  
In any case, after the transformation was completed I jumped off of the roof and down onto the mansion lawn. I left a large hole in the ground after landing. I quickly climbed and ran over to where Creed was throwing Remy's body into a tree.  
  
"Why do you fight little man? Fight Colossus!" I said as I neared the forest line where they were.  
  
"I'm not here to fight anyone but Logan! Where is he?" Sabretooth growled, his fangs gritting his bottom teeth as he scowled at me.  
  
"To get to Logan, you must go through me!" I said with confidence, even though I knew Logan wasn't in the mansion.  
  
"I wonder if you're recyclable..." was his sarcastic remark before he bum- rushed me with his shoulder, using his weight to make me loose my balance. I remained unstable for a moment, but I didn't fall.  
  
"It takes more than that to defeat Colossus!" I yelled after regaining balance. I ran towards Sabretooth, as he was called. For the most part I believe he was named for his feline looks, the result of physical mutation, and not necessarily his special abilities. His face was extremely hairy, his hands daunted with sharp claws, and animal-like teeth in this mouth. His eyes were like that of a cat, and his height was most certainly more enhanced than mine.  
  
Sabretooth was a long term enemy with Wolverine and but much smarter. He worked more with his brain than with rage and was able to get his enemy psyched up while he went for an attack. But that wouldn't work with me. Still running towards Sabretooth my metal covering glimmered in the sun, and I rammed my shoulder into his stomach, sending him flying into a tree. The effects of my attack were not at all long lasting, due to Sabretooth's healing factor. "Idiot," he slyly said as he got up from his dent inside the tree's bark.  
  
"What you say about Colossus? What have I done wrong to you?" I asked, switching from third to first person as usual.  
  
"You got in my way!" he growled as he jumped from the tree and yelled his reply to my question. He ran towards me with his claws aimed for my chest. With the extra weight of my organic metal my mobility was completely diminished. I couldn't move fast enough to evade his attack. His claws scarred the metal and I could feel the pinch of it as he dug deeper. His large hand wrapped around my neck while he lifted my body in the air. Thrusting me aside into a tree, like I had done him, Sabretooth snickered as my head jerked back and forth. Hitting my head a number of times I received a serious migraine and could hardly think straight.  
  
"Ugh.." I groaned a number of times, from the pain.  
  
Watching through squinted eyes I saw Sabretooth coming towards me with anger and annoyance written all over his face. "I'm gonna get rid of you right now!" he said as he now gloomed over me. Then from behind Sabretooth's back I saw a small beam of moving light that collided into his back emitting a small explosion behind him.  
  
I watched as he fell to the ground in front of me. Wondering where the attack had come from, I looked to see Gambit weakly peering at Sabretooth's fallen body. He had regained enough strength to throw a kinetically charged playing card at Creed. I watched as Gambit stationed himself up on one knee and then my eyes widened when Creed stood back up. Looking at Gambit he growled, "Blast you!"  
  
Then another voice -- one familiar. A voice of a woman, "I believe that pleasure is mine!" and from the sky there was a string of jumping electricity. I could feel the static electricity move through the air as the lightning began to come down from it's sanctuary in the sky. Jumping from electron to electron the heated electricity formed by nature... or rather by Storm, connected with Sabretooth's body, both burning him and electricuting him severely. It would take him a while to heal from that.  
  
I looked in the sky to try and locate Storm, but she was nowhere to be found. Only her voice when she had spoke before and recent lightning.  
  
"Oh my gosh! Peter..." Kitty said running towards me jumping over both Remy, who was recovering, and Sabretooth who was out cold -- or rather out hot from the burning lightning. Once she reached me I transformed back to my normal self, my normal tanned flesh showing.  
  
"Katya, I'm ok."  
  
"No you're not... oh no, you're bleeding!"  
  
"It's just a little patch of blood. I'm ok."  
  
"Oh Peter, if anything happens to you I don't know what I'll do."  
  
"Why do you love Colossus so much?" I asked, begging for an answer.  
  
"Just because..."  
  
"But Katya, how can you trust me? How do you know I have been faithful to you?"  
  
"Of course I've do. Ororo doesn't keep any secrets from the ones that she loves. I honor her for that..."  
  
"But."  
  
"But nothing. You made the right decision to talk to her about it. And the good thing is that nothing physical happened between you two. I see nothing wrong with two of my loved ones being friends." She paused, thinking things over. She could understand how easy it was for him to fall for Ororo. Ororo and I had been on a logn mission together, and I hadn't talked to Kitty for weeks. But now that we were back together, I felt what I had been missing. "As long as I remain the first love in your life, like you are in mine, that's all that matters."  
  
"This is like some strange soap opera mon ami..." I heard Gambit say with sarcasm from his spot on the ground.  
  
"Gambit, you are so nosey," Ororo said as she finally came into sight, "But you need to rest, while I figure out what to do with Creed." I watched as Ororo's sad eyes look over to Kitty and me as we held each other. She didn't watch for long. She helped Gambit into the mansion and put Sabretooth in a containment cell where he would stay until Xavier's return. I caught sight of Ororo's sad eyes one more time before she entered the mansion. She was truly alone. 


	2. Just Angst

Title: Maybe

Author: Viral

Author's Notes: This is my first time writing Kurt, so please spare me the wrath with his accent.

-=-=-=-

Jean Grey narrates:

Maybe I was the only one who saw it, yet maybe not, but I felt deeply for Ororo's sorrows. Her blue eyes had never been so lonely and I don't believe I had ever seen her distribute fear in such great amounts. But what was she afraid of? I couldn't quite pinpoint it. I wanted to comfort her that afternoon, to reassure her that she had a sister that was willing to talk about anything and everything. But just as I was ready to approach her lonely figure sitting in the gym, I heard a sound of air rushing outward and the stench of brimstone. Kurt had entered the gym.

His blue, fuzzy features were unmistakable. Ororo didn't even look up at him, although I know she could smell the effects of his teleportation. She was looking down, sweating lightly with a bottle of cold water in her hand, a pair of sweatpants, and a tight workout shirt on. Her white hair was tied up loosely and sloppily, yet somewhat exotically as loose silver strands fell across her face. She was sitting on the edge of a bench, just sitting. Apparently she had been working out before, but now, she was just sitting.

Kurt silently stretched, dressed in his classic X-Men uniform. It wasn't often he would wear regular clothes. His costume fit him perfectly and was comfortable enough for him. The only other outfit he was comfortable in was when he was dressed like a monk. After stretching, he sat on the same bench as Ororo and picked up a one-hundred-pound weight in his right hand. He began to work his biceps as Ororo remained motionless. I didn't know whether or not I should still try to approach her and comfort her, for I didn't know if she was comfortable enough with Kurt around to spill her guts.

"Ororo, are you all right, mein leibes?" he asked, finishing off in his German language with a phrase that simply meant, _my dear_. He sat the barbell back on the floor as he looked over to Ororo with yellow eyes.

She didn't respond, she just continued to sit with her head down, breathing lightly as sweat dripped from her forehead and fell on the gym floor. Ororo was a very serene woman, one who kept her secrets and emotions to herself, but she was never this _rude_. She wouldn't even look up at him; wouldn't even spare a breath to lie and utter an _'I'm okay.'_

Kurt sat speechless. He didn't know what to say if she wasn't going to speak back. His yellow eyes scanned her in her hopeless position. It was as if she was cut off to the entire world. Her blue eyes stayed in one place on the floor, never offering a blink. Her breathing was rhythmic, but his was speeding up as he became nervous. "Ororo?"

"Kurt," she said suddenly, hardly giving him a chance to finish her name. "Why are you concerned? I am always like this, there is no need for sudden alarm," she said, her voice filled with spite. Even I was now wondering what was wrong with her.

"I have never seen you like this," he said, German accent thick as he spoke in trained English. "I vas vondering--,"

Ororo cut him off with a loud sigh as she turned her face towards him. Her facial expression read one word: _scowl. _"Kurt, if you would be so kind as to lose your concern for me, I would be forever grateful," she said, heartlessly. "I appreciate the fact that you worry for me, but if no one else can see that I have a problem than even your care is not worth it."

"Zhere is somevon else who cares," Kurt said, smiling with his sharp teeth. Ororo didn't respond, but she continued to study his blue face. "God cares for you."

Ororo stood up. She didn't want to hear another one of Kurt's sermons about divine love and sacrifice. She didn't feel comforted and she didn't feel loved. "God is omnipotent, is he not?"

"Yes," Kurt said, but before he was able to continue, Ororo was burying him with another question.

"And he's omniscient?" she asked, with spite.

"Yes, he is all-knowing," he answered.

"And he's omnipresent?" she was almost yelling now.

"Yes, he is everyvhere," he replied, worried as Ororo's voice began to rise.

"Then if he knows everything he should know how I feel!" Ororo yelled. A thunder rattled the mansion as her eyes turned white. By now she was fighting back tears. "If he is everywhere then I should never feel alone! If he is all powerful then he should be _able _to comfort me or send someone to comfort me!"

"Have you asked him?" Kurt asked, standing up as Ororo's anger dwindled a little. At least now her eyes were blue again.

"I have prayed," she said. "To no avail. He does not answer prayers."

"Yes, he does," Kurt smiled, walking towards her with his hands out.

"Then where is my answer?" she asked, backing away from him. "Where is my answer from the Most High?"

"Do you have faith?" he questioned.

"Faith is nonexistent," she said. "Hope, luck, faith, love – they are abstract concepts and do not exist."

"How vould you ever know?" he asked. "You never give it a try. Scott and Jean love each other and now have a child – a result of zheir love togezzah. Vhat about zhe hope you give to zhe humans vhen you save zhem from zhe vicked?" Ororo put her hands to her forehead as she shook her head. She was too overwhelmed to decipher his accent or to think about the truth of his words. "Vhat about zhe beautiful Earth God has created? Vhy does zhat not give you faith?"

"Kurt, enough!" she snapped. She stormed out of the gym with her bottled water, brushing past me on her way out. I watched her float down the hallway until she turned the corner. I imagined the mansion would not be able to sleep tonight.

I approached Kurt, looking at him as he stood there sadly, "Kurt..."

"I do not understand vhy she is so upset," he said, looking up to me. "Perhaps God is sending me a message zhat I should lose my love for her."

"You love her?" I asked, inquisitive as he looked up to me. He nodded his head yes with the purest look I had ever seen. I knew his words were genuine; I knew he was genuine in his concern for Ororo. "From what I know, God is love and he would never deny the one's he loves the chance to love someone else," I smiled at him, showing him that his sermons had worn off on me bit-by-bit. "I need to go check on Enya. I guess I'll see you at dinner?"

"Of course," he said. Then he called out to me just before I left the gym, "Vhat does your daughter's name mean?"

"Little fire," I smiled at him. My grin widened as his face lit up with cheerfulness and hope once more. I prayed that he would make Ororo happy, too, if she would stop being so stubborn and open up.

-=-=-

"YES!" was the loud scream I heard before a lot of laughter, cheering, and gleefulness erupted out of the dining hall. I walked in to see a scene I had never thought would happen: Piotr was putting an engagement ring on Kitty's finger, finally. How long had it been? I dared not to count.

"It's about time, _Shadowkitty_," Emma smiled as she played in her blonde hair. I walked to the table and telekinetically put the dishes out on the table with the main course.

"It seems I made a big dinner for the right occasion," I smiled as we the room began to settle down, but still roared with excited talk and constant kisses between Piotr and Kitty. It was about time they could finally be happy together. I sat next to Scott who held our daughter, Enya, in his arms. I looked around the table with my green eyes, smiling at the scene. Everyone seemed to be happy—except Kurt.

I frowned as I looked at him. His head was hung and his eyes closed. My worry for him soon vanished as I heard his mumbled words, "...und ich frage, daß Ihr Segen nach dieser Nahrung und dieser Familie gesetzt würde." 

_And I ask that your blessing would be placed upon this food and this family. _He was praying over his food. That reminded me of Ororo. I looked around the room, wondering why I hadn't noticed her face. She had conveniently become a still portrait within all the excitement as she stared blankly at the table, seemingly devoid of emotion and thought.

Then, she stood up and walked out, causing everyone to notice her sudden departure and the room silenced. In a heartbeat, Kurt teleported out of the room and I looked to Scott. I left the room after giving Scott a reassuring kiss on the cheek. As far as I knew, the room remained quiet with unanswered question, but I for one needed my questions to be answered.


	3. Mixed Feelings

Title: Maybe

Author: Viral

Chapter Genre: Romance/Semi-Action

-=-=-=-

Jean Grey narrates:

"Why does everything always have to revolve around that conceited weather witch?" Emma frowned as she stood on the main balcony of the institute with Hank McCoy. Her hands were on her hips, the wind was blowing her short blond hair in her face, and attitude was evident in her voice. "It's always about her! This is supposed to be Shadowkitty's special day and Ms. Wanna-be goddess has to attract all the attention and dramatically leave the room."

"I don't think Ororo purposely meant to take attention away from Katherine's happiness," Hank sighed. "Perhaps there is something bothering her?"

"Yeah," Emma smirked. "The fact that she's so beautiful yet she can never find a man. The woman has serious issues."

"I suppose you brought me out here to express your hatred for Ororo?" Hank asked. "Is there any way we can discuss something else? After all, you would rather Ororo not be in the spotlight."

"I'm sorry," Emma sighed as her facial expression softened. "I guess I have been ruining the mood for tonight with my banter. It's just, I get so frustrated."

"Maybe Ororo's not the only one who needs a man," Hank said, his blue eyes deeply focusing on Emma's face. She turned to look at him with a smile of her own as she took Hank's big, furry hand in her own and almost fell into his arms.

-=-=-

I floated telekinetically, following the frequent _puffs _of smoke that Kurt left behind every time he teleported. I was following Kurt, he was following Ororo, and I think all of us were searching for answers. We were approaching a secluded valley within a mountain range. It showed no signs of human development... but the sight was tragic. There were uprooted trees, flooded banks, and several misplaced boulders. It looked as if the place had suffered a tantrum of natural disasters.

I hid behind a large cliff as I noticed Kurt hiding behind another cliff. Was this the place Ororo had finally stopped at? Just then a loud roll of thunder overtook the entire valley as the rocks shook on the ground and the sky immediately darkened. Indeed, this was Ororo's work. A warm, light drizzle began to fall on my head. I looked around the cliff to see exactly what was happening in the valley. I imagine my green eyes widened to their fullest size at the view.

In the center of the valley a tornado was ripping trees from their roots. Outside of the tornado hail was falling and the ground was covered in ice. Then, creating a circumference around the icy area there was a completely clear space. There were no clouds, no wild weather, and it was unaffected by everything that was going on – including the lightning storm that was tearing at the skies. Although it was an amazing sight to behold, it was frightening.

-=-=-

Ororo narrates:

I was completely wrapped up in the atmosphere, in the weather, in the feeling of freedom. At this altitude, at this level of power, I was unable to be mentally overtaken by emotions, the constant bickering within myself that I would forever remain alone, and lonely thoughts. Perhaps this is why I had become addicted to this valley. Ever since Piotr and Katherine made-up after the battle with Sabretooth, I had been drawn to this place. There I could let my mind roam free, my emotions take charge, and allow the tempest inside me to let loose – if only for a little while, and no one would get hurt. My blue eyes were completely white as I reveled in the elements. The white strands of my hair danced in small filaments across my face like the clouds move across a boundless sky.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fly? To be free of constraints and safety measures and just to float on the clouds without the worry of falling, crashing, or any fear of heights at all... haven't you ever wanted to touch the clouds and see how they feel? Are you not bewildered when you see a bird floating across the clear blue sky and you wonder how high it is and how close to the limits of space it has reached. Flight has introduced me to a world without limits and without restrictions. The ability to soar alone is worth the frustration of being alone and hiding my emotions... sometimes. But not even the endless freedom and liberty granted by the heavens is worth being alone. As they say, "It is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all." I believe with all my heart that this statement is indefinitely and uncontrovertibly true.

I continued to play in the rain, to soar across the dark clouds, and to juggle the lightning in my hands. I planned to stop shortly afterwards, before the weather was able to begin to control me. In the past, when I had allowed myself to lose my common sense when playing with my powers, I had lost complete control. But it felt so good to let it all out! It was my only means of expressing what I felt and I just couldn't stop. Perhaps I had measured the emotional strain too leniently for I began to find myself lost in the presence of nature. Soon everything was out of my hands. It was as if I was possessed – I could see what I was doing, but I knew I wanted to stop and I knew I was at the mercy of the elements.

I turned my face, looking at a sturdy and aged Evergreen Tree, and the next thing I knew, a gale force wind had completely ripped it up. A large rock: crushed by a descending lightning bolt. Green grass: frozen by baseball-sized hail. Something blue: a harsh lightning bolt --- something blue? I shook my head and was released from the trance as my eyes focused to see Kurt standing there, too frightened to move, with his yellow eyes wide and staring as the lightning bolt fell towards his body.

"Ach!" I grunted as pulled my hands upward and the lightning bolt completely bent and turned backwards at my will. It charged through the air bringing heat and static as it crashed into my body. I channeled the electricity through my body like a lightning rod and dispersed it in the sky as forked lightning. As the rest of the storms that once raged in the valley began to calm I hovered down towards Kurt, my white eyes obviously relating anger. "What are you doing here?" I shouted, demanding an answer right before I landed on the ground. He stood there, seemingly dumbfounded to silence. Just then I felt a sudden shift in the air and felt a slight movement within the jet stream psionically. I turned slightly right to catch a glimpse of Jean's face. Our eyes met. She knew I was aware of her presence, but I was too busy with Kurt now. "Well? Will you speak?" I must have seemed quite the witch at that time, seeing as I was acting very out of character. I was stressed, my emotions torn, and he was the person that I wanted most not to see... yet the one who I needed to know was worried.

"I admit, I vas following you, Ororo," he said, his demon-like face soft and compassionate. "I vas vorried about you, after you left zhe mansion I figured I vould make sure you vere all right."

"What do you want from me?" I asked, turning away from him. "If I tell you I am alright, you will not believe me! If I do not answer at all, you want an answer. And if I dared to tell you the truth you would not be satisfied until I am completely happy."

"I vorry for you because I care for you," he said, placing his deformed hand on my shoulder. At this point I was not even thinking like myself. Kurt was – is a beautiful person, both inside and out, but I was completely stressed out. I wanted to know who he thought he was – a deformed freak, a mutant like me, but he was so much a mutant that he did not even look normal. How could he have the audacity to dare approach a beauty like myself? I stopped myself there. I was allowing the brainwashing my village had done to me to take over. The _goddess _status that they had given me was beginning to control my thinking. But I realized that Kurt didn't even consider me a goddess or a deity of any sort. He saw me as a human... much like him, and that gave him the courage to care. Perhaps it was the humility at that very moment that made my heart begin to race.

"Kurt, I am alright," I said, my voice softened and my head hanging down.

"If you are alright," he began, his hand more firm on my shoulder, "Vhy must you cause so much havoc?" I looked up to see what he was talking about. I had completely destroyed the valley. It was a disaster. Did I have that much anger and loneliness inside of me? If so, then trouble was brewing, for I had even more pent up emotions inside myself.

"Kurt," I said, as I turned to face him. I looked dead into his eyes. I guess this deep eye contact made him very uncomfortable because he began to get jittery but he was never able to take his eyes off of mine. "I have heard, and I believe, that the eyes are the windows to the soul. What do you see when you look into the windows of my soul?"

He stopped moving as he watched by eyes with his blank, yellow eye sockets. I could feel myself almost crying as my emotions began to burn inside of me. "I see..." he began as he put his soft, furry hand on my check, "Loneliness, sadness, and heavyheartedness."

"That is why I cause so much havoc," I said, as I removed his hand from my face and turned away from him again.

"Ororo, I—," he began but was cut off by the Professor's telepathic message.

_:X-Men, report to the War Room **immediately**, all physically-capable X-Men who can hear my voice are required to report to the War Room, immediately!:_

"Vould you like a trip?" Kurt asked. He put his hand on my shoulder. Once again I resisted his grasp and flew into the sky without answering him. I was too confused about our entire conversation. Had we gotten anywhere... at all? I headed towards the mansion in a confused frenzy, leaving a forsaken valley and a nosey Jean Grey behind. I could not be Ororo at this moment – there was business to handle. For now, I would have to be Storm.

-=-=-

The War Room chairs were all occupied within three minutes of the Professor's urgent notice. The circular table was seated accordingly: the Professor, Cyclops, Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Nightcrawler, Jean, Colossus, Shadowcat, Jubilee, Beast, White Queen, the Bishop, and me. There was quite a large audience in the room for just one mission. Gratefully the urgency in Xavier's thoughts had not been misleading, otherwise I am sure that anger would have ensued.

"X-Men, we have quite the crisis on our hands," the Professor began as a hologram monitor appeared in the center of the table. "Apparently a number of our old enemies have joined forces including the Hellfire Club, the Acolytes, Apocalypse and his horsemen, with the exception of Archangel... even Eye Scream has showed up. They are protecting a government run agency, apparently from us, which holds the controls to an invaluable weapon." The hologram changed from the live video feed of our enemies and the government building to a view of outer space where a large meteor was falling. "Believe your eyes – what you are seeing is a live feed a radioactive space station plummeting towards the Earth. The only weapon that can stop it is inside that agency and the space station has an approximate impact time of two hours. It has enough radioactive material to wipe out both Europe and Asia. It cannot be allowed to touch down!"

"Professor, I don't get it," Cyclops said. "Won't the radioactive material harm our enemies too? Why would they want to pollute an entire continent with its contents?"

"They must have taken chemical precautions to assure the ineffectiveness of the material to their bodies," Xavier hypothesized.

Beast interjected as he took his glasses from his face, "Chemical counterparts such as the aforementioned are very possible to make with today's advancing technology. If this radioactive material begins to taint our soil and water supply it would create devastation worldwide and would be the perfect setup for each of our enemies' goals."

"Dun' worry mes amis," Gambit smiled as he shuffled his cards. "Gambit got somethin' real nice for de space station. Just get me close enough."

"Are you completely stupid or do you have an excuse?" Emma said from across the room. "Would you like the material to be spilt airborne?"

"I can try and teleport the space station to a different course if I can see a live video of its travels," Kurt said, not sounding too confident.

"Kurt, there is simply no physical way you could do such a thing," Jean said. "You wouldn't be able to hold your breath long enough if you're teleporting in outer space and we don't have enough time or equipment to get you an oxygen-containment suit."

"Maybe Ah can absorb ol' Magnus and be able to move the ship off course?" Rogue recommended.

"Like you'll ever get close to 'im," Wolverine laughed. "You got southern charm but no brain, bub. I can't even get close to the guy. What makes you think you can?"

"You cocky--," Rogue began.

"Enough with the bickering!" the Professor shouted. "We have spent enough time discussing this. Board the jet immediately and get en route."

"We don't even have a strategy Professor!" Cyclops complained.

"You don't need a strategy to lead a team!" the Professor said, apparently frustrated. "If you need tactics to lead then this mission is not for you to lead. Storm will be first in command, Cyclops will be in second."

I raised my eyes, my first time actually looking around the table. I could see who had faith in me to lead and who didn't. I stood up and crossed my arms, not willing to go through the debates. "Suit up and be on board the jet in five... no, three minutes. If you are not there, you will be left behind. I am positive there is another that will be able to handle the load of anyone who is tardy. Professor, is the jet already being prepared by one of the students?"

"Yes, Storm" the Professor said as he pulled down his Cerebro helmet.

"Then suit up!" I ordered, and surprisingly, the room completely emptied, except for a slow and angry Cyclops. I exited the room and was on the jet within the next three minutes with the entire team. Now on schedule, the jet screamed off of the hidden runway in the mountains and into the sky.

-=-=-=-


	4. Domestic Fighting

Title: Maybe

Author: Viral

Chapter Genre: Religion/Semi-Action

Author's notes: In the last chapter Ororo noted that the jet had taken off, however in this chapter Kurt will give us an interlude and overview of the events that happened right before it took off.

-=-=-=-Kurt narrates-=-=-=-

I boarded the jet two minutes after Ororo –- Storm had ordered us to be on it. By the time I arrived she was already present and sitting in the co-pilot seat. Cyclops, who entered the jet after me, took the pilot's seat as Storm made mental notes of the details the Professor had given us and more notes of how this mission was going to play out.

As I studied her soft face I wish I could just walk over and caress her cheek, but she was so serious and composed. Every time I looked at her I saw a cold-hearted lawyer... as much as I don't want to admit it, I do. All the X-Men say Ororo is the heart and soul of our team. She is the most compassionate – and we all agree. But her heart is cold. Maybe not cold by her own choosing, but it's cold and lonely. I wanted to be the one who could bring warmth to her heart, which would eventually take her face from its ever-serious discontent back to the youthfulness of the Ororo I met when we first joined the team.

"Three minutes have ended and it is time to go," Ororo said, not even turning around to see who all had boarded the jet. She pushed a button and the door to the jet closed, retracting the staircase in the process. I turned around from my seat behind Cyclops and looked at all who were present: Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit, Colossus, Jean, Shadowcat, Jubilee, Beast, Bishop, White Queen, and our two fearless leaders. The jet was completely packed.

The jet began to move and I lowered my head in prayer as I did every time before I traveled, asking for God's mercy as we traveled and safety from any dangers. It was at this moment I felt Ororo's cold eyes staring at me and when I lifted my head from prayer I saw her turn back towards the front of the jet. I felt, at that moment, I should have said something to encourage her, to take away her loneliness but I knew she wouldn't respond as Ororo Munroe, the lonely woman, she would reply as Storm, the vigilant and no-nonsense leader. That's not who I wanted or needed to talk to. Instead I opened my Bible and read in silence for the much of the flight.

-=-=-

As we flew through the air I took a short break away from reading my Bible. I closed my eyes with my three, unnatural fingers holding the heavy book in one hand and the other hand resting on the pages. I didn't want to open my eyes, for I already knew what the next verse had to say. As a Christian I shouldn't be unequally yoked. Yet, Ororo was a pagan. How could I even dare look at her and think this was the woman for me and she did not fit into the criteria?

"Dear God," I whispered, low enough so only I could hear. I doubt even Wolverine caught my words with his sensitive ears. Besides, even if he did, I was praying in German. "I understand vhat it is zhat your Vord is saying, but it is a hard decision. I believe zhat I love zhis woman – but because she is not a servant of you I am prohibited from attempting to date her. Is zhis the woman you have prepared for me? She is beautiful and kind... and has almost all the qualities of a woman I could love for life. I vant to make a difference in her life. But I always want to stay true to zhe faith. I need answers. Help me to find the answers. Give me, o God, an ear to hear zhese zhings, I pray."

To be perfectly honest, I was in a spiritual struggle. The one woman I loved fit my criteria but did not fit my God's criteria. I opened my eyes and continued to read my Bible, hoping the answer to my prayers would soon come.

-=-=-

"Scott, begin to drop altitude," Storm said sternly and quietly in her co-pilot seat. She began flipping switches next to her seat.

"There's a closer place where we can land, Storm," Cyclops said, almost as if he was reprimanding her, but he too spoke calmly.

"Thanks for informing me, Scott, but I want to land at the site I designated before," Storm said, never taking a glance at Cyclops and never even showing the smallest sign of a smile.

"Get your panties out of a twitch, Weather Witch," Emma said from her seat across from me. "Let the pilot do his job. You just lead us once we land."

Storm shot an angry look to the White Queen then turned back to Cyclops, "Scott, are you undermining my authority?"

"No Storm," he said and turned to look at her for a brief moment. "I just think there is a closer place to land so we won't have to travel as far to get to the National Space Watchers Headquarters." A scowl showed on Storm's face as the jet passed over her designated landing site.

"Very well, Cyclops!" she yelled and got out of her seat. The jet had already been silent because of the high tensions between the two leaders – but now everybody was silent with anticipation of what was to happen next. "You fly the jet!"

She walked to the emergency hatch and popped it open. Immediately air began to circulate in the jet and everyone's hair blew around. Storm flew out of the hatch and Rogue, whose hair was now in a mess, unbuckled herself. "Storm!" she yelled, trying to beckon the Windrider back inside, but she could tell she wasn't going to listen. Rogue flew out of the emergency hatch right before Jean pushed the button to close it again.

"She always has to show her butt, doesn't she?" Emma complained. "Always has to be the center of attention. Always has to get her way. I am so sick of that white-haired phony!"

"Enough!" Colossus yelled and unbuckled himself. His large, bulky muscles glimmered under the dim lights of the jet as he walked down the aisle and toward over the White Queen. "You will not be disrespecting my friend!"

"Sit down somewhere you illegitimate, uneducated, junky tin can!" Emma yelled, unaffected by his masculinity.

This was enough to get Wolverine out of his seat. Colossus moved aside as Wolverine walked in front of Emma with his adamantium claws extended. "We got enough problems as it is, blondie!" he growled. "Ol' one-eye and 'Ro are at it and you're only addin' to our problems."

The White Queen unbuckled her seat belt and stood up, her tall figure towering over Wolverine, as she showed no signs of fear. "You should sit down before you get hurt, little man," Emma snickered.

"Look!" Cyclops yelled from the front seat, now turned facing the rest of us. "Storm may not be on this jet, but while she's not I'm in charge. Now enough of the bickering and arguing – we can do that at home. We have a mission to take care of. Now sit down and buckle up; I have to land this thing."

Wolverine retracted his claws and growled, still standing in front of Emma who had a devious smile on her face. Colossus returned to his seat with anger in his eyes. However, Kitty took his hand and quickly soothed and calmed him.

"You better be glad we got other things to do you prissy—," Wolverine began to say with an intimidating growl before the jet rattled and made him fall to the floor. Emma fell back into her seat, as the jet seemed to be going through some odd type of turbulence, but the weather outside showed no signs of clouds.

"Cyke, what's, like, going on?" Jubilee yelled from her chair as her seat belt was ripped from her body and the metal on the plane began to creak. Suddenly air was entering the once airtight jet, causing wind to blow. Dust caused many of them to close their eyes as the jet literally began to split open and fall apart.

Force of habit caused me to teleport out of the jet as it began to fall apart and I found myself outside of the jet and falling through the clouds. Kitty, apparently out of habit as well, phased herself and Colossus out of the jet and they too were now falling towards the ground with me. While we yelled and screamed for our lives, the remaining X-Men members in the jet found themselves trapped. The jet began to crush inward like one would crush a sheet of paper.

"Jean!" Gambit yelled, his red eyes looking around in fear as the jet began to close in on them.

"I'm trying!" she yelled, her red hair frizzy with perspiration as she created a sphere-shaped force field that protected them from the jet that was going to crush them if she hadn't intervened. The jet, outside the force field, was not closed in and crushed into a messy ball of metal and glass, and the X-Men who were still inside were enshrouded in darkness. It was at this point that the jet began to fall from the air.

Meanwhile, Kitty, Piotr, and I continued to yell, oblivious to the fact that it was Magneto who had sabotaged the jet and that we were on our way to become bloody spots on the ground. "Holy Lord!" I yelled, mentally praying as I prepared myself for what was to come. The fall seemed like it had lasted forever, but now I could clearly see the ground and I knew it was about to end. If I teleported closer to the ground I would still be going at this same speed and it would only mean I would hit the ground quicker and the pain would probably be more intense. I closed my eyes, praying for an angel and it was at that moment that I felt two hands wrap around my arms and carry me upward.

I opened my eyes, heart beating intensely and saw Ororo's long, flowing, and white hair gently blowing against her face. "Zhank you!" I said continually, but she didn't even take a moment's glance down at me. Instead of talking we silently landed in a dark menagerie of trees and forest that outlined the NSWH.

"We must lay low," she said. She flew into a tree branch and sat on it. I teleported beside her, perched on the sturdy limb.

"Vhy are we here?" I asked. "Shouldn't ve be out helping our team?"

"No," Ororo said and paused to think. The pause seemed to be lasting to long, so I continued my questions.

"Vhy?"

"Things will work according to the plan," she said. "And now is not the time for either of us to be on the battlefield. If my suspicions are correct about this entire mission we must not be seen or suspected to be nearby at all. For now we must lay low." I still didn't understand why, but I concluded that she had something up her sleeve and heeded to her wishes.

-=-=-

The crumpled ball that use to be the X-Men's Blackbird had created a crater in the ground where dust and dirt were settling. Rogue, Kitty, and Colossus stood on a mountain's cliff nearby, silently looking around and assessing the landscape.

"So what are we waiting here for?" Shadowcat asked Rogue, looking down at the crater. "I could be down there helping them get out."

"Storm wants us up here and she wants us to stay until she orders us to move," Rogue shrugged. "The others'll get out. They got more than enough fire power."

"And since when do you follow orders?" Shadowcat asked, jokingly as they all looked down at the crater, which was beginning to glow.

-=-=-

"Gambit, hurry!" Jubilee whimpered, "It's getting hot!"

"I'm workin on it, petite," he noted, his hands pressed against the inside of the hollow ball. The kinetic charge that he was giving it was slowly, but surely beginning to spread around the entire circumference of the reinforced metal. Sweat began to show up in little dots around his hair and forehead as he breathed heavily, his gloved hands giving all the juice he had inside him to send a surge of potential energy outward. He stepped away from the wall, or what was considered a wall and allowed the potential energy to exert its heat and light, causing the outer coating of the metal to blow up – but when all was said and done the metal sphere was still wrapped around them.

"Darn it!" Cyclops frowned. "We're still trapped. Gambit, try it again!"

"No can do, mon ami," Gambit said, exhausted as he sat on the floor of the dark, hot sphere.

"Come on!" Emma yelled. "You can't be serious! Get me the heck outta here you bimbo!"

"If I had a dollar for every time I've wanted to smack you I'd be a millionaire by now!" Jean retaliated on everyone else's behalf. "You are the most insensitive trick I've ever met! Now if you'd just shut up every once and a while we'd be able to figure this thing out! I don't know what was on Xavier's mind when he decided to let you in our home!"

"Maybe I can blast us out of here," Bishop said before Emma could utter the profane words that were now sitting at the tip of her tongue. "Jubes and Cyke, you two can give me the juice I need and I'll convert it into enough power to blast through this thing. But Jean will need to telekinetically keep us all protected from odd changes in compression."

"Just hurry up with it!" Wolverine growled. "If not I'll start carvin' a few holes, and it won't be through any metal."

Light finally filled the dark space when Jubilee began to shoot her pyrokinetics into Bishop's chest. He easily absorbed the impact and began to power up. Everything took on a reddish glow as Cyclops fired his optic blast into Bishop's pack. He grunted and pointed his hands upward and began to yell, "Give me more!"

Jubilee let out an ear-piercing scream as her hands began to release the energy with all the force she could muster, causing her to fly backwards into the wall. She continued to give it all she had and Cyclops began to release more of his optic blast until Bishop's fists began to glow a bright yellow. By now everyone inside was covered in sweat from the high amounts of heat energy being tossed around.

Bishop yelled as he directed the energy into his fists and outward towards the 'ceiling' of the sphere. The metal began to dent outward until it finally blew open. The energy continued to travel upward, climbing through dust and dirt until light finally entered into the sphere. Jean struggled to control the change in air compression and until all was said and done. Bishop relaxed his mutant abilities; smoke rising from his hands as cool air from outside began beckoned everyone outside.

They climbed out of the ditch and took a moment to regroup. Five of their teammates were missing, their powerhouse members were out of energy, and they now had to go face Apocalypse, Mastermind, Magneto, and a slew of other enemies that hated them. They found themselves, the X-Men, worried for the first time in forever.

-=-=-=-


	5. No Mercy

**Title:** Maybe 

**Author: **Viral****

**Chapter Genre: **Pure Action/Adventure

**Author's Notes: **I apologize for the extended wait. Some of the reviewers may have lost interest. However, I thank you for your encouragement up to this point. I am also ignoring the comic book deaths of several Inner Circle members.

-=-=-=-Cyclops narrates-=-=-=-

"Oh my word…" Jubilee said, her voice portraying deep fright. Her arm extended upward and her slanted, brown eyes widened and watered with tears of fear. She was pointing towards the hovering bodies of Magneto and the three horsemen of Apocalypse: Pestilence, War, and Famine. She was weak, tired, and worried about what was going to happen next.

"Storm, if you can hear me I implore you to respond, immediately," Beast said, frantically speaking into the communications device attached to his belt. His blue eyes were watching Magneto and his horsemen approach them with an attitude that showed they were not playing games. They were prepared to draw blood and inflict death.

War lifted up his hands and they began to glow a bright green. He entwined his fingers and pointed his palms towards the place where the X-Men were standing. Without a word or warning of any kind, he shot a ray of heat, light, and electrical energy at them. Bishop quickly moved his bulky frame in front of his teammates and dug his feet into the ground. When the blast hit his body he tumbled backwards, slightly, but managed to continue standing. His eyes turned white with energy and his fists were surrounded by a glow of power. He redirected the absorbed attack and shot it upward at War, who quickly dodged.

Everything began to happen quickly. The lines had been drawn and crossed and the initial attacks were in place. I immediately took position as the assignment leader and called out to the team, "Jean and Emma take Magneto! Wolverine and Bishop take War! Jubilee, Gambit, and I – we have to take the others down!"

Jean immediately took flight, her green eyes looking angrily at Magneto's shadow-covered face. He spoke to her with a deep voice, sounding almost like pity, but not close enough. "Jean, you know you're not powerful to face me," he said. "Why would you even try?"

"Maybe not when I'm alone," Jean said. She telekinetically removed his helmet and tossed it to the ground, revealing white hair and aged facial features. "It just so happens, I'm not alone." Jean and Emma sent a barrage of mental attacks into Magneto's mind, sending knives through his brain. Losing all sense of direction and control he began to lose altitude, the pain of the relentless psychic attacks making him forget every strategy he had planned.

"His mind is not vulnerable to probes at all, but it's very susceptible to simple confusion attacks," Emma noted. Perhaps the Master of Magnetism wasn't as deadly as he seemed.

War rode on his mechanical, flying horse, controlling its movements with his mind. He kept tabs on Beast and Wolverine as they tried to strategize and move around him. "Logan," Beast said, almost as low as a whisper, "How are we going to gain enough altitude to knock him down?"

Wolverine remained silent, but continued walking in a huge circle, never looking up at what War was doing. His heightened senses gave him a pretty good idea of what their enemy was doing and the movements he was making. Beast, sick of waiting, and worried that the impatient War would attack, propelled himself into the air, hoping he would be able to jump high enough to grab onto the horse. When he realized he could make it, he extended his arms upward and grabbed onto the horse's body. He scratched the horse, trying to get a grip, but his face met the sole of War's foot and he fell towards the ground.

"Beast! What're you doin?" Wolverine yelled, displeased and upset. A ray of green light quickly shot from War's hands and hammered into Beast's chest, propelling him to the ground with greater speed.

-=-=-

"Storm, why are we just sittin around?" Rogue whispered furiously over the communicator on a closed connection. "Beast is gonna be splattered! Ah could help him!"

"Rogue, trust me" Storm said authoritatively. "Now is not the time. The reason I forbade Cyclops to go any closer to land the jet because I knew Magneto would be ready to detect our presence. We are up against the greatest minds of our enemies. Now is not the time to play by their rules."

"How long are we gonna be sittin here, gal?"

"Some of us will be sitting longer than others," Storm answered. "Just be patient and watch."

-=-=-

"Hank!" Jean yelled, seeing his fuzzy, blue body plummet from the sky.

Upon hearing his name being called, Emma took her attention off of Magneto and yelled to Jean. "Catch him!" The next thing she felt was a deep cut made across her back and the last thing she heard was a sheet of metal dropping on the ground beside her.

Jean telekinetically placed Beast's injured body on the ground. She turned back to face Emma but only saw her body laying on face-forward on the ground with crimson blood staining her back and darkening her uniform. "What happened?" Jean said and gasped and she turned around to face Magneto. He was on his feet, obviously struggling to fight off the effects of the mental attacks.

"No more games, Jean Grey!" he said and she literally felt her blood pressure drop. Magneto was not joking. He was taking every bit of metal in her blood he could find and manipulating it: calcium, sodium, potassium, iron – every available metal substance in her bloodstream.

"Magnus!" she said, falling to her knees. "I won't go out by myself." Her eyes closed tightly and her face turned red as she strained to focus her remaining energy. Magneto began to shake as if he were having a spasm. A telekinetic field pulled on his heart and began to stop it from beating. Over the time span of a few short seconds he fell to the ground. She forced blood back into his veins, increasing his blood pressure, resulting in hemorrhaging. She felt her own blood pressure beginning to return to its normal pace as Magneto squirmed on the ground.

While Jean had been fighting Magneto, Wolverine decided to continue with his plan. He continued to walk around in a huge circle, dodging War's lazy attacks whenever he did decide to shoot. Then, the plan was fulfilled: he clapped his hands twice and Bishop threw one of his guns to him. Wolverine, an excellent marksmith from his training with the government, was able to quickly take the gun, aim it with the butt in his shoulder, and pull the trigger lucidly. All it took was one shot. When his body collided with the ground, War was completely dismantled. Pestilence and Famine were equally easy targets for Jubilee and I, even with our exhausted powers.

When all was said and done we had two badly injured teammates: the White Queen and Beast. "We have to keep moving," I commanded, "We only have forty-five minutes to stop that space station from hitting the earth's surface!"

"What do we do with them?" Jean asked, pointing to our fallen comrads.

"We have to leave them behind. Jubilee, call the professor and have him send a jet with medical facilities on it."

"But Cyke!" Jubilee began to complain.

"Stay here and watch them!" I said and motion for the rest of the team to move towards the NSWH where the only weapon that could repel the space station was located.

-=-=-

"Kitty and Piotr, I want you to join the rest of the team when Sebastion Shaw comes out of the building. He and the rest of the Inner Circle will be the next set of villians to fight," Storm commanded.

"Just so I know – why do you want us to go, then?" Kitty asked over the communicator.

"Jean's mind is exhausted and no one else would be able to take on Shaw. We can't risk the entire team being fully injured, for if my ultimate plan were to fail, Scott would have to do whatever is necessary to stop the space station."

"Lord knows Ah trust Storm, but I don't know what to expect," Rogue sighed when Kitty turned her communications device to mute. "Here we are, sittin in trees and waitin for God knows what to happen."

"Knowing that Magneto would crush us is proof enough for me," Colossus said, rolling his r's with his thick, Russian accent. "And she knows who we are fighting against next. Something tells me she has a plan."

"Aaaah!" came a high soprano scream near the NSWH. Rogue picked up her binoculars and caught a glimpse of Jean's red hair flying in the air. Blood was spilling from the corner of her mouth and when her body finally hit the ground her eyes were closed and her breathing harsh.

Rogue quickly looked for the attacker and saw Donald Pierce, standing with his cybernetic arm pointed to where Jean's body once stood. Smoke rose from the source of the plasma charge that had surprised the X-Men and knocked the redhead out of commission. Standing next to Pierce were Harry Leland and Sebastian Shaw. A lump filled in Rogue's throat as she looked at the healthy Harry, who had supposedly died from a heart attack.

"Kitty… Colossus… it's your turn," she said and before she knew it they were running towards the fight.


End file.
